Thyratron inverter



H. CARLETQN THYRATRON INVERTBRS Filed Aug. 4, 1943 4 INVENTOR. Hem B ar-I 212cm. v BY ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 11, 1945 rma'raon mvna'raa Henry Carleton, Washington, D. C. Application August 4, 1943, Serial No. 491,412

2 Claims. (Cl. 315-237) (Granted under the act of.March 3, 1883, is amended April 30, 1928; 370 0. G. 757) A further object of the invention is the .provision of a self-excited relaxation inverter operable from a single source of direct current.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent during the course of the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification, and in which drawing,

The single figure is a diagrammatic view of the improved self-excited relaxation inverter.

In the drawing, which shows only a preferred embodiment of the invention, the numeral l designates the condenser of a condenser charging circuit ll energized by a suitable source i2 of direct current as by closing a switch l3. Interposed in the condenser charging circuit between the condenser IO- and the positive and negative sides of the direct current source [2 are variable resistors l4, Hi, the value of the resistor l4 being many times greater than that of the resistor 15.

The condenser in also forms part of an oscillatory circuit l6 including an inductance I! having one side connected, as by conductor [8, to the condenser charging circuit II, at a point l9 between the condenser HI and the resistor H. The inductance at its other side is connected} as by a conductor 20, to the anode 2| of a four-electrode Thyratron 22, the cathode 23 thereof being connected, as by a conductor 24, to the condenser charging circuit l I, at a point 25 between the condenser l0 and the resistor I 5.

serially connected between the conductors I8, 24, are fixed and variable resistors 26, 21, in

shunting relation to the condenser ill. The control grid 28 of the Thyratron 22 is connected as by conductor 23 and resistor 3|! to a point 3| between the fixed and variable resistors 26, 21. The shield grid 32 of the 'I'hyratron is connected as by conductor 33, to a point 34 in the condenser charging circuit between the resistor l and the current source I: at its negative side.

Upon closing the switch 13, current will flow from the source 12 through the resistors l4, to

charge the condenser l0. Current will also flow through the resistors 26, 21 shunting the condenser. The voltage drop across the resistor l3 provides a bias of the shield grid 32 with respect to the cathode 23. This bias is highly negative as the condenser commences charging but decreases toward the critical voltage of the grid 32 as the condenser charge increases. The voltage drop across the resistor 21 provides a bias of the control grid 28 with respect to the cathode 23, and this bias is increasingly positive as the condenser charge increases. The voltage drop across the resistors 26, 21 provides a bias of the anode 2| with respect to the cathode 23, this bias being increasingly positive as the condenser charges.

When the plate voltage rises to a sufliciently high value and the grid voltages reach critical values, the Thyratron will ignite, thus permitting the frequency of the inverter.

the condenser H) to discharge through the inductance ll. negative; the tube is extinguished and the inverter is ready for another cycle of operation.

Since the resistor H has a value many times greater than that of the resistor IS, the time constant of the condenser charging circuit depends mainly on the values'of the condenser l0 and the resistor l4. When it is desired to change the frequency of the inverter, the resistor I4 is varied and the resistors l5, 2'! are readjusted so that the tube will not fire at too low a voltage. Reducing the value of the resistor It increases the rate of charge of the condenser and therefore Thus, the frequency is easily adjustable, while maintaining a high output,,which may be taken ed at opposite sides of the inductance ll, through conductors 35, 36 and condensers 31, 38. The frequency of the inverter is however, highly stable and is affected only by changes in the resistors, or by variations in the tube characteristics or supply voltage.

Various changes may be made in the form of invention herein shown and-described without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the following claims.

The inventiondescribed herein may be ma'nufactured andused by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

I claim:

1. In a self-excited relaxation inverter, a condenser, a source or direct current, a. "condenser charging circuit including a variable resistor connecting the condenser to the negative side of. said current sourceya gas tube having a cathode, an

The anode voltage then becomes anode, a control grid, and a shield grid, an oscillatory circuit including said condenser and bridging said cathode and anode, means including a voltage divider shunting the condenser for supplying positive bias voltages from said source to said anode and said control grid, and means including said variable resistor in the condenser charging circuit for supplying a negative bias voltage from said source to said shield grid, said positive and negative bias voltages depending on the condition of charge of said condenser and said grid biasing voltages approaching definite critical values at which said tube becomes conductive as the charge of the condenser approaches connecting the condenser to the negative side of said current source and a second variable resistor, a gas tube having a cathode, an anode, a control grid, and a shield grid, an oscillatory circuit including said condenser and'bridging said cathode and anode, means for supplying to said anode and control grid positive bias voltages increasing as the charge on said condenser increases, including a variable voltage divider shunting said condenser, and means for supplying-to the shield grid a negative bias voltage decreasing as the charge on said condenser increases including said first variable resistor, said voltages reaching a critical relation so 'as to start the flow of anode current as the charge of the condenser reaches a predetermined value.

HENRY CARLETON. 

